JUPITER MOON

It was the short-lived British Satellite Broadcasting's attempt at a soap in space. And to a certain extent it worked. Although the scripts were sometimes a bit loose, and the acting a little wooden, it proved to be an enjoyable little event. Despite BSB never breaking much above the 100,000 viewer mark before its 'merger' with Sky and the dropping of the series (despite several episodes already made that would not be shown), the programme ran for nearly a year, scheduled at 6.30pm, three nights a week, with an omnibus repeat on Sundays. Since the programme's, and the company's, demise, many of the regular cast have made appearances on various other projects: Anna Chancellor in Inspector Morse and an amusing advert for Boddington's beer; Phil Willmott in a couple of guest roles in comedy series, such as An Actor's Life For Me; Lucy Benjamin in a comedy series with Richard O'Sullivan and award-winning children's drama Press Gang; Daniel Beales in a 1993 episode of Casualty; Fay Masterson in an Inspector Wexford story and a Highlander episode, and more recently in several British and some American movies; Andy Rashleigh in more than one advert, sans beard; and Richard Hainsworth, Suzy Cooper and Jamie Glover in various other adverts and tv bit-parts. Richard Derrington and Alison Dowling were also regular members of the cast of The Archers.

The stories were set on a university-cum-science vessel, the Michaelangelo, in the orbit of Jupiter, run by Professor Brenan to subsidise his life's work. The students mixed almost freely with the small scientific staff and the down-to-earth ships' crew, although Brenan himself was not universally liked. The stories were often conventional with a bit of science drama thrown in to add spice. There were absolutely no alien monsters.

In true soap-opera fashion, various members of the cast flitted in and out of the programme at various times, or were absent from several episodes at a time. BSB had teething troubles in its early days, so it wasn't universally available. Many viewers were only able to catch the last few episodes, so details for those is understandably greater than for the rest. In those last episodes, where a character departed or first arrived in a particular story, their names have been noted. The episodes can be blocked into vaguely separate stories, taking each week's three episodes as one story (although the strands of story-line were actually on-going in typical soap manner), and for ease of description, that is the formula followed here. The titles are pure invention to give the overall flavour of each story block. For the rest of the series' episodes, only writer and director are known, with the latter's name placed at the start of their episode block. 

Episode numbering and broadcast dates kindly supplied by Nathan Cooke's Jupiter Moon Official Web Site (dead link). One of the series writers, Veronica Henry, became a published writer in 2002.

REGULAR CAST

Professor Brelan Richard Derrington   Mercedes Page (Lecturer) Anna Chancellor
Paul Lockwood (Principal) Mark Jax   Rebecca Harvey (Bursar) Alison Dowling
Eliot Creasy (Cpt) Andy Rashleigh   Finbow Lewis (Second Officer) Phil Willmott
Paul Fitzroy Drummond (Visiting Flight Officer) Richard Hainsworth
Christophe Chazalon (Doctor) Christopher Simon
(Students): Victoria Frobisher Nicola Wright   Fiona McBride Lucy Benjamin
Daniel Wetherby Daniel Beales   Melody Shaw Suzy Cooper
Anna Begani Anna Pernicci   Jenny Fletcher Cheryl Martin
Jean-Francois Baul Ashley Russell   Sara Robbins Karen Murden
Gabriella Tanzi Fay Masterson   Philippe Gervais Jamie Glover
Jim Hawkins Jim Shepley   Petra (Ship's Computer) Charlotte Martin

Co-Producers: RPTA and Axel
  Springer/Multimedia
Producer: William Smethurst
Associate Producer: Jane Fallon
Script Editors: Diane Culverhouse and
  Nicola Venning
Music: Alan Parker

A Primetime-Andromeda Production
in association with BSB
150 colour 25-minute episodes

UK screening:

Episodes 1-108/26th March - 30th November 1990
Episodes 109-150/1996
(BSB Galaxy/Sci-Fi Channel)

Ep Writer
  1 William Smethurst
  2 William Smethurst
  3 Julian Spilsbury
  4 Helen Leadbeater 
  5 Margaret Phelan
  6 Julian Spilsbury
  7 Helen Leadbeater 
  8 Helen Leadbeater
  9 Margaret Phelan
10 Margaret Phelan 
11 Julian Spilsbury
12 Julian Spilsbury
13 Helen Leadbeater 
14 Margaret Phelan
15 Robert Smith
16 Julian Spilsbury 
17 Nick Warburton
18 Diana Souhami
19 Margaret Phelan 
20 Margaret Phelan
21 Charles Hodges
22 Joanne Maguire 
23 Julian Spilsbury
24 Julian Spilsbury
25 Andy Rashleigh 
26 Joanne Maguire
27 Nick Warburton
28 Veronica Rumble 
29 Margaret Phelan
30 Graham Harvey
31 Julian Spilsbury 
32 Diana Souhami
33 Charles Hodges
34 Margaret Phelan 
35 Margaret Phelan
36 Julian Spilsbury
37 Steve May 
38 Nick Warburton
39 Joanne Maguire
40 Diana Souhami 
41 Diana Souhami
42 Graham Harvey
43 Nicholas McInerny 
44 Julian Spilsbury
45 Margaret Phelan
46 Margaret Phelan 
47 Julian Spilsbury
48 Julian Spilsbury
49 Joanne Maguire
50 Joanne Maguire

Director
Kay Patrick


Clive Fleury


Garth Tucker


Clive Fleury


Garth Tucker


Kay Patrick


Clive Fleury


Garth Tucker


Kay Patrick


Henry Foster


Garth Tucker


Kay Patrick


William Slater


Henry Foster


Garth Tucker


Betsan Morris Evans


William Slater

Ep Writer
51 Nick Warburton
52 Graham Harvey
53 Graham Harvey
54 Diana Souhami
55 Diana Souhami
56 Margaret Phelan
57 Margaret Phelan
58 Margaret Phelan
59 Julian Spilsbury
60 Julian Spilsbury
61 Nick Warburton 
62 Simon Frith
63 Simon Frith
64 Diana Souhami 
65 Diana Souhami
66 Sue Teddern
67 Joanne Maguire
68 Joanne Maguire
69 Ben Aaronovitch
70 Ben Aaronovitch
71 Veronica Henry
72 Veronica Henry
73 Graham Harvey
74 Graham Harvey
75 Julian Spilsbury
76 Julian Spilsbury
77 Joanne Maguire
78 Jonathan Myerson
79 Jonathan Myerson 
80 Ben Aaronovitch
81 Ben Aaronovitch
82 Helen Leadbeater
83 Helen Leadbeater
84 Graham Harvey
85 Graham Harvey
86 Joanne Maguire
87 Joanne Maguire
88 Rowena Rumble
89 Margaret Phelan
90 Margaret Phelan
91 Julian Spilsbury
92 Julian Spilsbury
93 Torrey Steed
94 Jonathan Myerson 
95 Ben Aaronovitch
96 Joanne Maguire
97 Margaret Phelan 
98 Margaret Phelan
99 Veronica Henry
100 Jonathan Myerson

Director

Henry Foster


David Dunn


Betsan Morris Evans


William Slater


Henry Foster


David Dunn


Betsan Morris Evans


David Andrews


David Dunn


William Slater


David Andrews


David Dunn


Tom Kingdon


Alister Hallum


David Andrews


Andrew Higgs


Tom Kingdon

Ep Writer
101 Julian Spilsbury
102 Julian Spilsbury
103 Veronica Henry 
104 Joanne Maguire
105 Torrey Steed
106 Torrey Steed 
107 Helen Leadbeater
108 Helen Leadbeater
109 Margaret Phelan 
110 Margaret Phelan
111 Jonathon Myerson
112 Joanne Maguire
113 Julian Spilsbury
114 Julian Spilsbury
115 Joanne Maguire
116 Torrey Steed
117 Helen Leadbeater
118 Helen Leadbeater
119 Ben Aaronovitch
120 Ben Aaronovitch
121 Joanne Maguire
122 Joanne Maguire
123 Julian Spilsbury
124 Julian Spilsbury 
125 Margaret Phelan
126 Margaret Phelan
127 Helen Leadbeater
128 Helen Leadbeater
129 Torrey Steed
130 Torrey Steed
131 Ben Aaronovitch
132 Ben Aaronovitch
133 Margaret Phelan
134 Margaret Phelan
135 Joanne Maguire
136 Joanne Maguire
137 Julian Spilsbury
138 Julian Spilsbury
139 Helen Leadbeater
140 Helen Leadbeater
141 Veronica Henry
142 Joanne Maguire
143 Joanne Maguire
144 Jane Fallon
145 Margaret Phelan 
146 Diane Culverhouse
147 Veronica Henry
148 Ben Aaronovitch
149 Rowena Rumble
150 William Smethurst

Director


Alister Hallum


Andrew Higgs


Tom Kingdon


Mike Holgate


Andrew Higgs


Henry Foster


Mike Holgate


Andrew Higgs


Henry Foster


Mike Holgate


David Dunn


Henry Foster


David Dunn


Alister Hallum


Henry Foster


David Dunn

The Final Broadcast Episodes (BSB)

w Margaret Phelan and Veronica Henry
Jean-Francois is in love with Melody, or is it Victoria Frobisher? Complications arise, and Professor Brelan decides his peace is best served if the boy is transferred away.

Intro: Doctor Chazalon
Departing: Jean-Francois Baul

Director Andrew Higgs

(16th - 20th October 1990)

w Jonathan Myerson and Julian Spilsbury
While Victoria and Melody are patching up their differences over the now departed Jean-Francois, strange things are beginning to happen on the ship. Is there a ghost on board?

Director Tom Kingdon

(23rd - 27th October 1990)

Episodes 94-96 (Michaelangelo's Psychopath Captain)

w Veronica Henry, Joanne Maguire and Torrey Steed
The cause of the mysterious events is revealed: The previous captain of the Michaelangelo was murdered by one of his loopier officers. The plot was all computer-planned and executed, and somehow the programme has kicked itself back in. Can it be stopped before someone is killed?

Intro: Commander Drummond, Gabriella Tanzi
  and Philippe Gervais
Re-intro: Fiona McBride
Departing: Captain Creasy and Sara Robbins

Director: Alister Hallum

(30th October - 3rd November 1990)

w Torrey Steed and Helen Leadbeater
Finbow is thrown unprepared into the role of acting-captain after the much-loved Creasy's departure. How can he cope without making his usual mistakes, especially with a hostile Brelan on his tail?

Director Andrew Higgs

(6th - 10th November 1990)

w Margaret Phelan and Jonathan Myerson
The most unfortunate of freak accidents kills Michaelangelo's popular Principal, Paul Lockwood, and badly injuries Mercedes Page. Rebecca Harvey, who was very fond of Paul, though she didn't realise the fact until too late, is distraught. The entire university compliment is thrown into abject gloom and despondency. Finbow feels that he was to blame.

Director: Tom Kingdon

(13th - 17th November 1990)

Episodes 103-105 (Social Secretary & The Stowaway)

w Joanne Maguire and Julian Spilsbury
The elections are under way for the much-coveted position of university social secretary. One such hopeful decides to stun the voters with an election video, despite the fact that most of them can't stand her. New student Gabriella Tanzi decides she wants to be the first woman to visit an unexplored moon and stows away on Commander Drummond's shuttle pod.

Director: Alistair Hallum

(20th - 24th November 1990)

w Joanne Maguire, Torrey Steed and Helen Leadbeater
Gabriella is in trouble both physically and with the university staff. Melody has discovered she is pregnant by Daniel after a party. Should she be the first woman in Jupiter orbit to become a mother?

Director: Andrew Higgs

(27th November - 1st December 1990)

Note: This was the final week of BSB's transmission before Sky Television's take-over. The station had an end-of-term atmosphere as the presenters and announcers made their farewells. Episodes 109-150 of Jupiter Moon were eventually broadcast in the UK on the Sci-Fi channel (no details known).

Recommended Site: Jupiter Moon Official Web Site (dead link)

All details are trademarked and copyrighted by their respective producers. All character and location names are also copyright. No infringement of any copyright is intended.
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